Engine starting apparatus



i'eb'. 1s, 1 936. R, P, LANSING 2,030,882

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Original Filed Jan. 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Shae; l

ZSnven'tor attorneys v Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Eclipse Machine Company, Elmira Heights, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 8, 1929, Serial No. 331,093

Renewed May 28, 1935 1 3 Claims.

This invention relates to engine starters, and more particularly to a. starter of the inertia type.

It is desirable thatengine starters, and particularly those employed on aircraft engines, be

a compact, light in weight, and symmetrical in form. It is further desirable to provide both power and manual means for energizing the starter, the manual means being operable independently of the power means or conjointly there- 1 with under certain conditions.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel engine starter of the inertia or flywheel type embodying power means and manually operable means for storing energy in 1:; the flywheel, the mechanismbeing so constructed asto be compact, light in weight, and symmetrical in form.

Another object is to provide a novel flywheel starter in combination with a motor for rotating the flywheel, the motor having the longitudinal axis thereof disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the flywheel and laterally spaced therefrom whereby the length of the struc-- ture is materially reduced without excessive increase in the transverse dimensions thereof.

A further object is to provide novel starting mechanism embodying -a longitudinally movable engine engaging member disposed coaxially relative to a flywheel for actuating the member, and

a motor having its longitudinal axis disposed substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of, the flywheel but laterally spaced therefrom for storing energy in the flywheel.

A still further object is to provide novel start- ,ing mechanism of the above character which embodies manually operable means for rotating the flywheel, said manually operable means being adapted for actuation independently of the power means or for conjoint action.

Another object is to provide novel inertia starting mechanism of the type wherein the flywheel is disposed substantially coaxially with the engine engaging member and wherein both power and manual means are provided for rotating the flywheel, the power means having its longitudinal axis disposed substantially parallel to the flywheel but laterally spaced therefrom,- and the manual, means being angularly adjustable relative to the power means.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout tha'seiferal viewsf In the drawings:

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated- Fig. 1' is a perspective view of mechanism embodying thepresent invention; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view illustrating more particularly a portion-of the gearing that is preferably employed in the structure. shown in 5 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an axial sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. v

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the startingmechanism therein shown comprises a flywheel 10 5 adapted to rotate an engine engaging member or clutch jaw 6 which is movable into driving engagementwith a jaw member I provided on an engine crankshaft (notshown) ,or an extension thereof. The starting apparatus includes a hous- 15 ing constituted by an inner section 8, an intermediate section 9 and a flywheel cover section- Hi formed centrally thereof to receive the fly-- wheel 5. i

The flywheel is adapted to be rotated at high speed in order that sufficient energy may. be stored therein for cranking the engine, and a gear 30 train is preferably provided for transmitting the energy stored in the flywheel to the engine engaging member 6, the gear train being so constituted that member 6 will be rotated at a much lower speed than that of the flywheel. For this 35 purpose a shaft l6 extends through the hub of the flywheel and'is drivably connected thereto as by means of a key IT. The inner endof shaft 16 is provided with a flange i8- which engages wall 13 and coacts with a nut l9 threaded onto 49 the outer end of the shaft and abutting the flywheel to prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft relative to said flywheel. Shaft I6 is provided closely adjacent flange l8- with a pinion 20 that meshes witha spu r gear. 2| formed on the large end of a bell shaped: member 22 that is rotatably mounted. as by means of a stub shaft 23 in an elongated boss 24 formed in the wall l3. Ball bearings 25 are preferably provided for rotatably mounting shaft 23. H

} Formed integrally with the bell. shaped member 22 and shaft 23, or rigidly connectedthereto in any suitable manner, is a pinion,26 which meshes with a gear, such as an" internal spur gear 21, that is coaxially disposed relativeto flyg of a bushing 28on a stub shaft 38 which isformed integrally with, and projects centrally from the closed end of a barrel 3| rotatably mounted in,

of planetary gears 33, one of which is shown in section in Fig. 3. Preferably three planetary gears are employed, the same being spaced at intervals of 120 about the closed end-of barrel 3|, and said gears mesh with an internal gear 33 which is rigidly secured in anysuitable manner to the inner surface of housing section 8. Each planetary gear is rotatably mounted by means of a ball bearing 34 on a sleeve 35 having the inner end thereof countersunk in the outer face of the closed end of the barrel. A screw 36 extends through the sleeve and is threaded into the end of said barrel. A retaining ring 31 is carried by the outer ends of the screws 36 and constitutes a retaining member for the ball bearings 34 and sleeves 35.

. Means are preferably interposed between the gear train 'described above and the engine en-' gaging member 6 for yieldingly transmitting the energy in the flywheel to the engine crankshaft without damage such as might result if the driv ing connections were entirely constituted by rigidly connected elements. For this purpose a multiple disc clutch is preferably employed, said clutch being mounted in barrel 3|.

As shown, the clutch comprises a plurality of annular disc 31, certain of the discs being splined at their outer peripheries to the inner surface of barrel 3|, and the discs being splined at their inner peripheries to the outer surface of an interiorly threaded nut 38 which is provided intermediate its ends with a flange 38. The clutch discs are positioned between flange 39 and the closed end of barrel 3| and adjustable yielding means are provided for holding nut 38 in operative position with respect to the discs and barrel and for varying the frictional engagement of said discs. 1

In the illustrated embodiment "the yielding means comprise a plurality of coil springs 40 which extend longitudinally within the barrel, the outer ends of said springs having operative engagement with the flange 38. A ring 4i provided with a plurality of later lly projecting studs 42, is mountedinthe barrel wi h the studs extending into the coils of the springs whereby the latter are maintained in proper spaced relation. An adjusting nut 43 is threaded into the open end of the barrel and has abutting engagement with the inner face of ring-4 I By adjusting the position of nut 43 longitudinally of .barrel 3| the compression of springs 40 may be changed to vary the pressure with which the clutch discs or plates 31 are engaged. I

Exteriorly threaded onto the inner end of barrel 3| is a retaining ring 44 for the adjacent ball bearing 32. Ring 44- may be locked in position by means of a wire 45, and said ring is adapted to coact with a shoulder 46, provided on the outer end of the barrel and having engagement with the inner race of outer ball bearing 82, to prevent endwise movement of the barrel relative to the inner housing section 8. x

Positioned withinnut 38 is a threaded shaft 47 adapted for rotary and longitudinal movement relative to the nut. The outer end of said shaft is provided with suitable means such as a yieldingly resists movement wheel'5. iiiGear 21 is formed integrally with a a -'pi-n'ion 28 that is rotatably mounted by means nut 48 adapted to engage a shoulder formed interiorly of member 38 to limit longitudinal movement of the shaft to the left as viewed in Fig. 3. The inner end of shaft 41 is longitudinally splined and extends into the correspondingly splined hub portion 6 of clutch member 6 whereby these parts have positive driving engagement, but are adapted for relative longitudinal movement. A coil spring 49 which preferably has its outer end extending into a recess in shaft 41 is interposed between said shaft and the jaw member 6, and of the jaw member toward the shaft. Y

Manually operable means are preferably pmvided for rotating the flywheel 5 to store energy therein. As shown, said manually operable means includes a cranking shaft 58 which is rotatably mounted in'housing section 8 with the outer end thereof projecting exteriorly of said housing and provided with suitable means such as a transverse pin 5| to receive a. hand crank (not shown). Shaft 50 is rotatably supported in the plane of the side wall of section 8- by means of a ball bearing 52 and the inner end of said shaft, which extends substantially at right angles to the axis of rotation. of flywheel 5, is rotatably supported in a boss 53 provided in wall l3 by means of a roller bearing 54. The inner end of shaft 56 has'rigidly connected thereto a bevel gear 55 which meshes with a bevel gear 56 that is drivably connected to the outer end of stub shaft 38.

Power means are also provided for rotating flywheel 5 and said means are adapted for operation independently of the hand cranking means or for c action therewith. In order to reduce the overall length of the apparatus and at the same means of-screws 58. One end of the armature shaft 68 of the motor projects into the'casing,

for a portion of its length to receive a clutch member 6| adapted for rotary and longitudinal movement relative to the shaft. The extremity of shaft 60 is preferably of reduced diameter and is threaded to receive a nut 62 which constitutes a retainer for a coil spring 53 that is interposed between said nut and member 6| to normally hold the latter in non-driving position.

A stub shaft 64 is rotatably mounted by means of suitable bearings 55 in a boss 58 provided in the wall of-casing portion 58, said stub shaft being substantially coaxial with armature shaft 68.

- The end of shaft 64 adjacent clutch member 6| 50 formed by the housing portion. 58, and is threaded gine. In the form shown said means' comprises a rod 69 which slidably extends through stub shaft 30, threaded shaft 41, and a central opening in jaw member 6; The inner end of rod 88 carries a nut Ill which engages jaw member 8 and maintains the latter in operative position relative to the threaded shaft 41. The inner portion of rod 69 is of reduced diameterto provide a shoulder 1| which normally engages theouter end of shaft 41. The outer end of rod 69 term.i-'

housingand carries on its outer ends bell,

crank lever N (Fig. 1). Suitable yielding means such as spring 13' may be employed to hold lever 13 and rod in the position shown in Fig. 3.

Means are preferably provided for preventing oil from seeping from the crank case into the starter housing, since such oil would impair the operation of the apparatus. ,Forthis purpose a' cup-shaped member 15, which is preferably -formed of metal and. is provided on its outer end with a flange l5 adapted to be clamped between flange ll of the starter housing and the crank case of the engine, is fltted over the inner end of the starter that projects into the crank case. Secured to the member 15 is a flexible guard or disc 16 of annular form, the inner periphery of said guard having engagement with the outer no driving connection to surface of the laterally projecting hub portion 8} of jaw member 6. A sleeve ll surrounds and has sliding engagement with hub portion 6 and extends outwardly into' abutting engagement with flange 39. The inner end of sleeve 11 bears against a ring 18 to hold the latter in engagement with the flexible guard 16. The'length of sleeve 11 is preferably such that the inner portion of guard 16 'is flexed, outwardly into engagement with the adjacent face of the jaw member 6 and seepage of oil into the starter housing at this point is thereby prevented without interference with the longitudinal movement of the jaw member. A pair of washers 19, one of which may be formed .of flexible material, is mounted on rod 69 intermediate spring, and jaw member 6 to prevent seepage of oil through the central opening in said jaw member.

When it is desired to store energy in the .115;- wheel, preparatory'to crankingthe engine, the operator engages a hand crank with the outer end of shaft 50 and rotates the latter. This motion isv transmitted through the gear train to flywheel 5 whereby the latter is rotated a large number of times for each revolution of shaft 50. Actuation of shaft 50 results in rotation of barrel 3| and all the parts therein with the exception of rod 69 which maintains jaw member 6 out of driving engagement with member I. Stub shaft 64 and bell shaped member 66 are also rotated but bined rotary and longitudinal movement due to.

' gear train.

motor 51 is established its threaded connection with the nut 38, and jaw member 6 is yieldingly moved through spring 49 into full meshing engagement with jaw member I. The energy of the flywheel is now effective to crank the engine.

When the engine starts under its own power the speed of rotation of clutch member I is greater than that of jaw member 6, and the inclined teethof said jaw members are now efiective to move member 6 to the right out of driving engagement. The yielding means associated with the rockshaft 13 is effective to move rod 69 to normal position when the operator releases bell crank lever 14. B

If it is desiredto employ motor 51 for energizi s flywheel 5, the circuit to said motor is closed whereupon armature shaft 50 is rotated. The member 6i will now be automatically advanced against the tension of spring 63, into-driving engagement with the clutch member 61. A driving connection is now established between the motor and flywheel through gear 68, gear 2i. and pinion 20 whereby the flywheel is rotated and energy is stored therein. The electric motor may be employed in conjunction with the crankshaft to energize the flywheel as, for example, when itis desired to conserve the electrical energy employed for actuating the motor, or when the suppLv of electrical energy is low.

What is claimed is: 1. In an engine starter. an en ine eng gin f driving member adapted for longitudinal and rotary movement, a flywheel disposed substantially coaxially with respect to said engine engaging member, means including a bell shaped gearfor drivably connecting the flywheel and member,

power means for rotating the flywheel, said power means having the longitudinal axis thereof laterally spaced from and substantially parallel to the axis-of rotation of the flywheel. means including a second bell shaped gear meshing with said first named gear, for drivably connecting said power means and flywheel, and manually operable meansfor rotating the flywheel and adapted for independent or conjoint action of said' power means.

2. In an engine-starter, a; housing, a flyw rotatably mounted in said housing, an engine e gaging member, means including a. gear train and afriction clutch rotatable at the lowest. speed of said gear train for drivably connecting the flywheel and engine engaging member, and means for energizing the flywheel, said last named means including a motor "secured to said housing and a pair of inter-engaged bell shaped gears. one 0! which is aligned. with said motor and the other of which constitutes a part of said first nam 8. In an engine starter of the type embodying a flywheel rotatable within the boundaries -of a space deflned by two parallel planes, a housing for said starter, a motor having the casing thereof removably secured to said housing and; having the longitudinal axis thereof extending through said parallel planes and substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the flywheel, a clutch member drivably connected to said flywheel. and a coop-'- into engagement with said clutch member to drivably connect the latter with said motor.

RAYMOND 1. meme.

crating clutch member longitudinally movable 

